A post-War O.B.E. group of eight awarded to Group Captain J. Lambie, Royal Air Force, late Indian Army and Royal Fusiliers

The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, O.B.E. (Military) Officer’s 2nd type breast badge, silver-gilt; British War and Victory Medals (2. Lieut. J. Lambie.); India General Service 1908-35, 2 clasps, Waziristan 1919-21, Waziristan 1921-24 (Lieut. J. Lambie, 67 Pjbs.); 1939-45 Star; Burma Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45, mounted court-style as worn, very fine and better (8) £360-£440

O.B.E. London Gazette 2 January 1950.

James Lambie was born in Brixton, London, on 22 March 1897. An accountant by profession, he initially attested for the 26th (Bankers) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, but was later appointed to a commission with the 7th (Extra Reserve) Battalion on 26 March 1917. Sent to France, he served with the Battalion as Acting Captain and Adjutant before transfer to the 2/4th Rajputs, Indian Army, on 13 May 1918. Posted from the Western Front to India, Lambie later transferred to the 67th Punjabis and was involved in operations against the Tochi, Wana Wazirs and Mahsub tribes who had been steadily causing problems for British rule since the end of the Third Afghan War in 1919; in the 1921-24 operations in North and South Waziristan, the Bannu and Dera Ismail Khan districts, the 67th Punjabis were involved in garrison duties, road protection and guard picquets. Moving to Manzai, the troops spent many hours protecting the new road link between North and South Waziristan from marauding Mahsud and Bhittani tribesmen.

Possibly tired of ground operations in mountainous lands, Lambie transferred to the Royal Air Force on 7 December 1925 and was commissioned Flying Officer in the accountancy branch. Promoted Flight Lieutenant 1 August 1934, he was sent to North Weald on 18 January 1937 and was still there in 1939. As home to 56 and 151 Fighter Squadrons, North Weald soon attracted the attention of the Luftwaffe during the Battle of Britain. The Airfield Museum offers a good insight as to those events:
‘The first major raids on R.A.F. North Weald took place on the afternoon of 24th August [1940], when more than 200 bombs fell. At around 4.30pm German bombers and fighters, harassed by the defending R.A.F. Hurricanes, headed for the airfield at around 15,000 feet and proceeded to drop bombs “in a straight line through the western part of the village across the Epping to Ongar road” before hitting the airfield. The officer’s mess, the officer’s and airman’s married quarters, a powerhouse and other facilities were damaged. In North Weald High Road, the old Post Office, a cottage opposite the King’s Head and the Woolpack Pub was wrecked.’

Promoted Temporary Wing Commander September 1941, Lambie was posted to Burma and witnessed operations against the Japanese. Raised Wing Commander in 1947, he was awarded the O.B.E. in the New Year’s Honours List of January 1950, before retirement as Group Captain on 1 July 1950.

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